You may want to temper that desire with the thought that it does sound as though, motivated as they were, the police did about the same as the original thugs, to a variety of other people, without finding anyone.
edit - The German general Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord was quoted as saying;
"I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent -- their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy -- they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the intellectual clarity and the composure necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent -- he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief."
These police in this story are definitely in the stupid and diligent section of Kurt's matrix.
Urban city: Car accident. No personal injury? Other guy isn't drunk? Just drive away and if your insurance needs a report, visit the cops within the next week or so. They don't respond for robbery / burglary at all although again you can go to the station to make a report if insurance requires. Another incident, someone unsuccessfully tried to break into your car and damaged it, eh, whatever, its your fault for being a victim, you must have done something wrong.
Transitional office park: Car accident. "You will drive yourself to the station immediately and make a report, or we will go out and get you, and I assure you that you do not want us to go get you and bring you in"
Suburb: Minor car accident, neighbor boy learning to drive and wife's friend's car parked in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dispatched a unit, took photographs and wrote report, etc.
There's a big difference in attitude toward crime between urban and suburban living that goes way beyond car ownership or mass transit. Urban areas are downright dangerous and neither the cops nor the other residents care.
I had the exact opposite experience in cambridge in 2006. I saw some kids trying to steal a vespa and called the police, dispatch didn't give me any hope that the situation would actually be addressed even though i could see it happening a block away from me.
about ten minutes later, i get a call from the police to go id the kids about a quarter mile away. about two months later, i got a summons to testify out by ashmont. i didn't really connect "i see something" with "i will say something in court" when i called and it gave me an appreciation for the realities of witness intimidation.
in contrast, someone walked through my office once and lifted a couple ipads and a few wallets. mountain view police came by about half an hour later, took a report, and that's the last i heard of it. some things are easier to deal with and a small robbery like that i'm told is basically a lost cause.
i often found cambridge, somerville and medford police and fire were impressively responsive, even for relatively minor complaints, but i'm sorry you and your friends' experiences have been lackluster.
edit - The German general Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord was quoted as saying;
"I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent -- their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy -- they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the intellectual clarity and the composure necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent -- he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief."
These police in this story are definitely in the stupid and diligent section of Kurt's matrix.